Phil de Fries, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, has claimed that Alex Pereira previously declined an opportunity to fight Aspinall. De Fries stated that while he believes Aspinall is better than Francis Ngannou, the stylistic matchups differ between opponents. He suggested that a fight with Pereira would have been excellent for Aspinall's career. The post raised the question of which heavyweight presents a more difficult stylistic challenge for Pereira between Aspinall and Ngannou. No further details about when or under what circumstances Pereira allegedly declined the fight were provided.
A teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has claimed that light heavyweight king Alex Pereira previously passed on a fight with Aspinall, though no official confirmation of that assertion has emerged.
Phil de Fries, who trains alongside Aspinall at Team Kaobon, made the claim without specifying when or under what circumstances Pereira allegedly declined the bout. De Fries also stated his belief that Aspinall is a superior fighter to Francis Ngannou, while acknowledging that the two present different stylistic challenges for Pereira.
Aspinall, 33, holds a 15-3-0 record and currently sits sixth in the pound-for-pound rankings as the reigning heavyweight champion. The six-foot-five Englishman carries a 78-inch reach and is one of the most statistically dominant strikers in the division, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 67 percent accuracy. He also brings a consistent grappling threat, averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Pereira, nicknamed Poatan, is 38 years old and holds a 13-4-0 record as the reigning light heavyweight champion. The Brazilian stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. His takedown and submission averages are minimal, reflecting a fighter whose game is built almost entirely around striking power.
Ngannou, also 38 and from Cameroon, carries an 18-3-0 record and a massive 83-inch reach at six-foot-four.
Why it matters
- Aspinall holds the heavyweight title but has yet to unify or cross into a high-profile super-fight
- A potential matchup with Pereira would be a cross-divisional clash between two reigning champions
- The contrasting styles — Aspinall's well-rounded attack versus Pereira's pure striking — make the stylistic debate raised by De Fries a legitimate one
- The claim remains unverified and should be treated as a report rather than confirmed fact
